Home Garden Shop – Suburban Tool Boxhttp://suburbantoolbox.com
Frugal tools for cost conscious intentional livingWed, 16 Aug 2017 02:39:01 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.1http://suburbantoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cropped-MG_3451-1-1-32x32.jpgHome Garden Shop – Suburban Tool Boxhttp://suburbantoolbox.com
323210 cool tricks for the casual mechanic that will get you out of a pinchhttp://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/07/10-cool-tricks-for-the-casual-mechanic/
http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/07/10-cool-tricks-for-the-casual-mechanic/#respondSun, 09 Jul 2017 03:21:00 +0000http://www.suburbantoolbox.com/?p=146 In your every growing circle of abilities and competencies, at some point you will inevitably have to build some basic mechanical skills for working on machinery of all sorts while saving large sums of money, be it lawnmowers,plumbing, chainsaws, the dishwasher, or cars. Here is a list of hard learned tips and tricks that I’ve learned over the years that can get you out of a jam. Hopefully your can find 1 or 2 that you like.

1) Latex gloves.

Just because you’re handy with a wrench doesn’t mean your hands have to advertise it to everyone. For those days when you decide you don’t need a temporary oil tattoo on your skin, just pop on some latex gloves. Your significant other won’t have to complain that you smell like gas, oil, or varnish anymore either.

2) Magnetic tool

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dropped a nut or bolt, while working on an engine, only to listen anxiously, holding my breath to see if it will hit the ground or get stuck in the most difficult to reach portion of the engine. For times when my luck runs out, a magnetic extension tool has greatly limited the amount of cursing involved. This one has a 5lb magnet and extends to about 3 ft.

2) Two open ended wrench trick.

Occasionally I’ll find a bolt or a nut that is just too stuck to break loose with a regular wrench. If I have a breaker bar, that’ll usually get the job done, but frequently I won’t have one handy. For those situations you can use two wrenches in tandem to double your fulcrum and thus your leverage. Just be careful not to hit your knuckles if one of them buckles.

3) Heat

Metals of all kinds are some of the hardest materials mankind has found. But do you know what makes everything soften up? Pupies….that’s what. But for the sake of working on cars, heat works better. The next time you’re fighting with a stubborn nut or bolt, just apply some heat with a soldering torch and watch how easy it is to break free. You can find one at your local home depot for around $20 or $30. For casual use, they last for ever. I’ve been using the same tank of gas in mine for over 10 years. 4) weld a snapped nut

Sometimes you’ll run into a nut that is so stripped out that you can no longer grab it with any wrench. If you’re in a real pinch you can use a welder to weld a new nut right on top of it, wait for it to cool, and wrench it right off of there.

5) super long extension

Can you tell I used this as a pry bar?

Frequently, I’ll notice that the area I’m trying to work in is too cramped for every wrench and socket configuration in my standard tool set. However, There are 2 and 3ft long extensions, that will allow you to plunge into the area while having the wrench free of all the stuff you’d normally be bumping into. But perhaps the are is too tight and at an angle that is too radical for even that. In that case try….

6) swivel sockets

On some cars, the nuts and bolts are in such tight proximity that no combination of universal joints and shorty sockets will let you reach them. Fortunately there is an all in one swivel socket that can fit into the absolute tightest of spaces.

7) video scope

This use to be a high end expensive tool. Not any more. You can have one now for less than $30. Want to know if something is leaking from your engine way back behind that area you can’t see? Just snake this camera back there and you can see areas where your eyes would never fit. It even has a light on it. You can use all around the house for peeking behind walls, looking inside of plumbing, or inspecting the carbon build up on your cylinders from the spark plug hole.

8) metrinch type wrenches

You can now get a cheap set of these from harbor freight. These grab bolts and nuts from the center of the metal instead of the edges. So if the head is already stripped out and you’re wondering how you’re ever going to get it unscrewed now, just switch to this style wrench. It comes in handy all the time.

9) liquid wrench

I’ve tested this stuff on everything from 1/4 inch bolts on up to 3/4 inch ones. It won’t completely unstick a corrosion welded nut but it will loosen it’s grip just enough that you can break it free where it was previously not possible.

10) bolt extractor

It’s only a matter of time when working on machinery before yourun into a bolt that snaps off for one reason or another, leaving you cursing loudly or quietly under your breath, depending on who is standing around. What you’ll want to have on hand is a bolt extractor. Simply use a cobalt bit to drill a hole into what is left of the bolt stud (lubricate with oil and drill at low speed not fast), then insert the reverse threaded extractor into the hole, turn counter clockwise, and viola! Broken bolts come right out. It sometimes brings a tear to my eye.

]]>http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/07/10-cool-tricks-for-the-casual-mechanic/feed/0Whatever you want in life, give it first.http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/05/whatever-you-want-in-life-give-it-first/
http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/05/whatever-you-want-in-life-give-it-first/#commentsMon, 08 May 2017 03:04:05 +0000http://suburbantoolbox.com/?p=1407So you’ve got the drive. You’ve got the willingness to do a project on your own. You get the concept that often times in life you can set aside the big scary narrative about how outside of your reach, manual, emotional, physical health, and altruistic tasks are. How helpless you are at influencing your own outcomes. You’re ready for action, there’s just one problem. You don’t quite have the skills to make the rubber meet the road so to speak. You don’t know how to do “Skilled tasks”. As is the case with all of us, you don’t yet know how to do absolutely everything. There’s always more to learn. Perhaps you’re not as experienced in some of the emotional competencies either, such as being an intentional friend. That’s not a jab. No one starts of being the pillar their other friends can lean on. We all figure things like this out as we continue to grow. Maybe you’re the one who wishes you had more of those “on purpose” type of relationships. The ones you intentionally develop with exactly the people you want in your life. It’s one of those ‘Which came first the chicken or the egg’ situations and the solution can be a win/win-You can grow and enhance your capacities while enhancing someone else’s experiences as well.

I don’t mean this in some sort of Nigerian wire scam way, where you send all of your money to someone else believing that it will come back to you ten-fold, but it’s exactly this type of giving concept that can both help someone else and fill in many of the blanks for you in whatever your endeavor is. Again, be smart about how you apply this. Don’t go to the most selfish person you know, help them with a bunch of things, and then be offended when the keep taking and asking for more. These people are not your target audience. Here’s a brief example from one of my experiences:

I had just bought my fixer upper and it desperately needed a new roof. I’m not just being slightly dramatic. The roof was leaking in multiple spots, had rotten sections that you could barely stand on, and was sagging more than it should. The previous owner tried to remedy this by shoving plastic bags into it wherever it leaked, which was all over the place. I didn’t have 3-5k to pay someone to fix this. None the less it had to get done. I had worked on a roof project as a teenager but that was at least 20 years ago. I had no idea how to do it today. What I needed was a tune up, a refresher course, but where was I going to find a roofing mentor, or possibly a wizard on such short notice? Where indeed.

I read several articles online that gave me the basics and steered me clear of a few beginner mistakes while giving me the basic principles involved. Then I found what I was looking for; my local branch of Habitat for Humanity was building a house for a good family and needed volunteers.

I signed up and inquired if they would be redoing the roof. Sure enough they were and gave me the dates that they’d need volunteers for that project. It was a great chance to test run the whole process, see how they managed, trash disposal, air hoses, nailers, materials layout, installation, and really just see what I would be up against.

In a weekend, I got to meet great people, partake in a good cause, have a new experience, and learn how a roof install works. By the time I tried it on my own roof, I had all the kinks worked out and was able to have my new roof installed in less than 3 weekends (I have a full time job) with a little help from some family and friends.

The whole experience left me with a great template for acquiring new skills and helping other people while also helping myself. I’ve since been back for additional projects with other organizations ranging from, demolition, to harvesting oranges at a local orchard.

This isn’t an attempt to virtue signal with my “humble brag”. No one likes a virtue signaler because it’s more about them than what they’re telling you; I said I was doing it for my own self-interests and I was, but that doesn’t mean it can’t also be a win/win situation that simultaneously benefits someone else at the same time. Come to think about it, this seems like a good way to approach a lot of ventures. (Link to article on how to make a good business deal)

Simultaneously during this same time period I met a new friend who was knowingly or unknowingly executing this same principle on me. He’d show up to see if I needed any help for no reason. I barely even knew this guy but he lived a few houses down from me and would just pop by to lend his services. From that experience, I operate from a place of extreme gratitude for this individual whenever he needs anything, which to hear him tell it, is never. So I looks for places I can contribute. I can’t help but give back any chance I see, because of his taking action to make a new friend, help someone in need, or whatever his motivations were at the time. That was many years ago and I still don’t feel like we’re even after many projects together since then.

In short it’s been a synergy that all started with giving, and giving takes action. Talking won’t do it. So take action today no matter what the category is. Call a friend you’d like to see more of. Help someone with a project in a department you’d like to learn more about.

Maybe you’ve already got a skill, and maybe you can share this skill at some point with someone who needs it, someone capable of appreciating it. Who knows, they may have a skill as well that they then share with you until the whole thing reverberates into a feedback loop enriching both of your lives for years to come.

Friendships have been made on less. And if they don’t, at the very least you can get to be part of the brotherhood of men helping men/women helping women, that is so crucial to this human experience we get to live. Something not attainable without taking meaningful action or well intentioned talking about it. .

]]>http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/05/whatever-you-want-in-life-give-it-first/feed/2Cars, machines, maintenance, and the very real and costly repercussions of being a Machinery Maintenance Denier.http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/03/cars-machines-maintenance-and-the-very-real-and-costly-repercussions-of-being-a-machinery-maintenance-denier/
http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/03/cars-machines-maintenance-and-the-very-real-and-costly-repercussions-of-being-a-machinery-maintenance-denier/#commentsMon, 13 Mar 2017 07:34:33 +0000http://suburbantoolbox.com/?p=1340The very real and costly repercussions of being a Machinery Maintenance Denier.

I sat semi-patiently waiting for my friend to start his car as we were about to go to the store. He gave the key a familiar twist and the engine came to life, but something was off.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap….there was a tapping sound coming from the engine compartment that was too loud to be ignored. ‘What’s that sound?’ I said. ‘I duna know’ he replied in a way that both said ‘who cares’, and also ‘I know what that sound is but don’t give a shit’. ‘It sounds like your car doesn’t have any oil in it.’ I quipped. ‘Turn it off, I’m gonna check it out’ I said.

He popped the hood reluctantly and I pulled the scorched dipstick from it’s sheath. I held it up to the sunlight as a single reluctant black tar drop of molasses-like fluid dripped off the all but empty oil indicator. Shocked I began to look through the rest of the engine compartment for about 5 minutes. The jury began to roll in on the current state of neglect. The power steering fluid was also nearly empty, the cool was almost gone, and the transmission fluid looked like it had never been changed and smelled burnt.

‘You know you’re supposed to have the maintenance done right? Cars won’t just keep running on unicorn tears and good intentions.’ I said a little too sarcastically for polite conversation. ‘Nonsense’ he fired back. ‘That’s just what big auto wants you to believe! Open your eyes man!’ he pleaded.

Said eyes were opened and eye contact ensued. With no further prodding the following exchange began. ‘Big oil wants you to think that you have to constantly change the fluids and air up your tires so you’ll be reliant on them’. ‘ But you’ve never changed them….not once!’ I replied. ‘I’ve been doing it this way for years!’ he shot back. ‘But this is your 3rd car in 4 years.’ I countered. ‘The other 3 all had catastrophic failures-The van blew a transmission in the middle of a 4 state road trip, the Ford blew a head gasket in the middle of the desert in the summer, the Hyundai also blew a transmission, and you ran the Honda out of oil because you refused to ever check it’.

The finger pointing began, escalating this gentleman’s debate well out of the realm of friendly banter. Tempers flared, and windshield washer fluid jugs were spilt. I couldn’t take it anymore. I found a nearby rock and climbed upon it to use as a makeshift soapbox. ‘You sir, are a machinery maintenance denier!’ was the “mic drop” moment I used to end all debate.

This story is the heavily modified combination of about 100 conversations I’ve had over the years in varying levels of mechanical insanity. Some people just turn the radio up to cover car noises, believing in the sanctity of a “what happens in the engine compartment, stays in the engine compartment” agreement they have with their automobile. Others believe their car will grant them a pass for their past transgressions and allow them safe passage on their commute if the promise to take care of it “this year” is made. But all who have passed the threshold of modern machinery and not paid homage to the rules of maintenance have shared a similar fate-Blown head gaskets, overheated radiators, dead batteries, and seized engine internals are the price they must pay for the non-believer dom, punctuated by statements like ‘Why does this always happen to me?’.

But it doesn’t need to be this way. Man and machine can live harmoniously in sync with each other and fulfilling each other’s needs if the simple terms of the man-machine armistice are adhered to. They are as follows:

1) All fluids must be changed when recommended-No exceptions!

2) Every 5 years anything rubber will likely need to be replaced (Tires, hoses, belts, rubber grommets, and bushings).

3) Once a year, a surprise item will be sacrificed to test your resolve and see how committed you are.

In exchange for this, you will have transportation to exotic destinations both near and far, of your time and choosing, without drama or mechanical shenanigans.

Do you know a machinery maintenance denier? Tag or forward this to them so that they might mend their ways.

Someone once told me that home remodeling is all about either the Kitchen or the Bathroom. While there are of course other aspects to a makeover, this seemed largely true to me. At every family gathering, party, and relaxed night in, you’ll see these rooms every day. People naturally congregate in the areas so it makes sense to make sure they say what you want, and create the environment you desire.

Here’s what my kitchen looked like before making many of these changes. It still has a lot that needs to be done but for the cost, the transformation has been significant so far:

Here’s how it looks now, but it’s still in progress. Ok, maybe the two-tone green is not your thing but you could just as easily pick a color that goes with your theme.

This doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg though. It does require your patience, focus, and dedication to seeing a job through. The good news is that, the worse your kitchen looks now; the cheaper it will be to remodel and see a dramatic difference. No, you won’t be able to go to a re-modeler, drop a pile of cash in front of them from your money printing machine and have it all installed next week Count of Monte Cristo style.. No, patience and a little more time, is going to be the price you pay for, well, not paying as much. Below are 5 ways to add a touch of modern flare without breaking the bank:

1) Peel and stick back splash.

It’s pretty much just what it sounds like, you just peel the tag off the back and stick it to the wall. Instantly you can have some cosmopolitan pizazz in your kitchen if that’s your thing.

2) Paint cabinet doors or replace with used ones.

If you’re ok with not having the wood grain look of your cabinets anymore, you can simply, clean them, primer them, and spray paint them virtually any modern or classic color you can think of. If you really hate the construction of them soo mush that this isn’t an option, get the measurements of your cabinet doors, and look at a used building supply store, craigslist, or offer up for some suitable replacements. It may take some time but again, that why you’ll save so much. I’ve done it 3 times in the last year. Well actually my friend was remodeling his kitchen and I offered to take his old doors.

3) Upgrade your sink and faucet.

Get clear about what the biggest eye sores are in your kitchen. For me, one of the really dated and ugly items was the kitchen faucet that looked like it came out of a penitentiary. I literally found a new rubbed oil replacement faucet at a thrift store for $15. I swapped it out in about an hour and have never looked back.

4) Butcher block or wood countertops.

So often you hear people talk about how they must have granite because they want that modern look but really can’t afford it. This is classic keeping up with the Joneses. Paying $5000 or more for countertops when you really shouldn’t financially, is crazy to me. That’s why I went with plain old fashion wood for my counters. Does it look as good as granite? Nope. Did I spend 3-6 months of my disposable income, ensuring a feedback loop of financial problems for the foreseeable future, by updating them? Also, nope. Cost me about $125 and I think I can live with them for a while at least.

5) Upgrade old appliance with modern craigslist versions.

I’ve bought $650 dishwashers (I looked it up) for $40, $1300 refrigerators for $200, and $600 stoves for 66% off (That’s $200. I just thought it would be cooler if I said 66% off.). If you’ve never installed a dishwasher, it’s not hard at all. Takes well under an hour if you have basic mechanical aptitude. If not, there’s no shame in admitting it. Either you can start developing that skillset today or find an agreeable friend to be your accomplice.

6) Add in a rolling island or counter top.

One of the problem in my small kitchen was counter space. There simply wasn’t very much of it. A friend bought one of these rolling islands on amazon for my birthday and it was great for helping me leverage some more space for mobile food prep and storage while I made some more permanent upgrades.

7) Put in a window sill ledge.

You can make one yourself if you have sandpaper, a saw, stain and a router (borrow one). Or you can just buy one on Amazon for pretty cheap. I made mine out of a pine 1×6 at home depot and finished it a color I don’t really care fore. Still, it adds a lot of declutter power to my kitchen sink area.

8) Add in a wine rack and glass display.

I don’t know why, maybe it’s my Italian heritage, or maybe it’s just good marketing but wine racks, bottles, and glasses seem to add quite a lot of mileage and charm.

9) Replace solid doors with glass to showcase your nicer dishes.

Not only does the shininess of the glass add and element of sparkle and cleanliness, it also give a bit of a showcase effect for your dishes and glasses. On the downside, if you’re like me you may need to put some of your uglier dishes in a non-transparent cabinet.

10) Organize and make good use of your space.

This simply means de-clutterring the area. Do you have appliances on the counter you could put in storage? Do you have decorations that you could place elsewhere? On shelf perhaps? A de-cluttered kitchen has 50% more charm than one that’s scattered with things.

]]>http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/02/100-kitchen-makeover/feed/2The most interesting $5 lawnmower story you’ll read all day.http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/01/the-most-interesting-5-lawnmower-story-youll-read-all-day/
http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/01/the-most-interesting-5-lawnmower-story-youll-read-all-day/#commentsSat, 14 Jan 2017 03:20:44 +0000http://suburbantoolbox.com/?p=1270It was a sunny summer day as I strolled the aisles of my local thrift store, surveying the landscape for diamonds in the rough. It’s one of my guiltless pleasures, mainly because it costs so little when I finally stumble upon an amazing find. Actually, I take that back, there is sometimes guilt involved; the kind of guilt that comes from getting such a ridiculous, dollar stretching deal, that a) you feel like you just robbed the store, and b) you know your friends are going to call you a liar for as you tell them about your dollar saving finds.

It so happens that this was just that sort of day. I felt a faint ghost like whisper as I passed the random yard items section of the store. A whisper that got louder as I narrowed in on an orphaned 4hp lawnmower. ‘Why hello there’ I said flirtatiously as I moved in closer to flip the levers, check the oil, and visually appraise my future yard companion.

She had some dust and oil residue from light use but a gentle tug on the pull start reassured me that everything was still in functioning order. The oil was a little black, presumably because the previous owner was a MMD (Machinery Maintenance Denier), but this could be easily remedied. My eyes gazed upon a hastily applied orange sticky tag that read $5. My heart lept and my lungs gasped! ‘Shut the fuuu….ront door’ I exclaimed as I realized this was a no swearing zone and there were several children around me.

I began to hear some gentle theme music slowly build from the out dated electronics section of the store. Eye of the tiger I think it was, serenading me to ‘rise up straight to the top’ or something like that. It was undeniable. I was starting to get pumped up. ‘Let’s do this!’ I yelled clapping my hands together, as I simultaneously, grabbed the push lever, christened her “Samantha” with I bottle of Champagne that I always carry with me for occasions such as this, and began barreling toward the front of the store past the concerned and confused looks of other patrons.

I pulled a partially torn five dollar bill from my pocket as I greeted the cashier, trying to play it cool and contain my excitement. This was really happening. ‘Would you like a receipt?’ the cashier asked. ‘No thanks’ I said, again trying to down play the fact that I was obviously engaged in the middle of a lawnmower theft for a nonsensical price.

I completed the transaction and then walked slowly, ever so calmly and slowly, toward the door, moving increasingly more briskly as each step passed. It turned to a slight jog as I crossed the threshold of the door, and finally threw all caution to the wind as Samantha and I jumped to curb to catch some air. Later that day, I splurged on a new spark plug and 1/2 a quart of premium lawnmower oil (Only the best for my machines), still cackling a little too loud for polite society as I left AutoZone with my new supplies. That was 3 years ago. Sure we’ve had our ups and downs since then as any relationship does. There have been tall weeds and more than a few rocks to challenge us but we’ve stayed strong together, secure in the joy that only a relationship born of financial responsibility can wield.

As time passed, I bumped into a friend who had just bought a new house and needed a lawn mower. He told me he was thinking of buying one for about $400. ‘Don’t you dare!’ I gasped, recoiling in horror, unable to hide my disapproval, and all but threatening our friendship if he did. ‘I’ll get you one as a house warming gift’ I said. I could see his skepticism as I relayed to him my made up sounding tale of how Samantha and I had met years earlier.

His skepticism grew to accusations of blatant dishonesty and finger pointing as I told him about the price. There was only one way to settle this. I would need to get the same unicorn of a deal a 2nd time, just to prove that it’s real and repeatable; and I would need to do it fast.

I smugly scampered back to the exact same thrift store, pushing children and other shoppers out of our way. ‘Official business’ I barked as I guided my friend to the yard section of the store. I scanned the room briefly, finally focusing in on a shiny red Toro that had been abandoned by its owner. ‘$400 lawnmowers are bullshit’ I yelled dramatically pointing and gesturing with the fire of a man who won’t overpay for things. My friends jaw dropped slightly with the staggering weight of his new found frugal life conversion. The look of a true epiphany shown on his face. We scampered out with his new $10 mower in hand, still shaking his head and wondering what he would do with his newfound savings. A small tear of satisfaction rolled down my cheek, knowing that a new member had just been admitted into the brotherhood of frugality. You could be next? What can you save money on like it’s borderline criminal? Share your story in the comments below so that still more unbelievers can be shown the way of master thrifting.

3 old world ways to Save on groceries (and 2 modern ones).

Some expenses in life, such as food, are fixed costs. You can only get them down to a certain point if you’re going to be able to eat and be healthy. At least that is what I thought when I first made a budget for my groceries. Much to my surprise I found that, just like every other expense I have, my grocery budget could be even more dramatically reduced without feeling like I sacrificed. In fact, I began to notice that none of these ideas where all that new, most of them had been around for quite a long time. They were things our grandparents knew and we had forgotten. Things like…

1) Growing your own food.

You’re going to hear a bunch of alarmists talk about how it’s not economical or practical to grow your own food. Don’t listen to them. Most of them have never tried it and their fear should not limit your abilities. It does take a large effort and some startup cost the first year. After that it’s simple maintenance. It is entirely possible to grow a large portion of your food, even on a patio or small piece of land if you are calculated about it. I like the “square foot” gardening method. It takes less water, fertilizer, labor, and space. Simply grow as much of what is in season as you can, harvest most of it, freeze most of it, and then eat the rest off the plant gradually while it’s still alive and in season. Then when it’s out of season, start using your frozen items as reserves to carry you through to the next season. Now plant a new crop of whatever is next in season, rinse and repeat. You’ll meet other garden minded friends along the way that you can trade with. Maybe you had a great harvest with your broccoli and they have more carrots than they can use. Make it a win/win situation and trade them some of your excess. If you’re really pinched for space, see if there is a co-op garden in your city where you can plant on a piece of land. This is more common than you might think.

2) Combining healthy foods to save on meat costs (rice and beans).

Meat and protein can be one of the highest cost items in a grocery budget. It contains a complete set of amino acids; the things that your body uses to rebuild, repair and grow muscle. You can get some of these amino acids from vegetables and your body can make some, but ultimately you need a complete set of amino acids to be healthy. This is where combining different types of foods can pay back dividends. Rice and beans are a classic example. When combined, they give a complete set of amino acids that your body can use to heal itself.

3) Don’t waste anything ever again (Food saver).

‘Waste not; want not’. That’s what the older generations use to say. It seems like a bit of common folksy wisdom that no longer gets applied to our modern lifestyles, but every time something gets wasted it’s money you just lost. Next time you put a dish in the fridge that you know you’re not going to eat tomorrow(because you don’t like left overs), simply freeze it and come back to it when you’re pallet has had a break from it. If you can afford a foodsaver, the flavor will not age while in the freezer. This ends up doubling as a time saver because you can simply pull out healthy meals when you’re in a rush.

4) Backyard chickens.

Two words: Free…..eggs. Well almost free. I’m never going to guy eggs again. I don’t have to drive to the store as often giving me both time and saving on gas. The nutrient dense eggs I get now cost me about $1.20 a dozen. The fact that chickens make great manure for my garden, eat any food scraps, eat and control bug populations, and weeds is just a bonus.

5) Stock up when items are their cheapest.

I almost feel guilty when I use this technique because it feels like I’m robbing a grocery store. Here’s what I do. When there is a massive discount on ham, turkey, chicken, etc. usually around Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter, I buy as many as my freezer will hold and use them for the next 6 months. For example, rather than paying $2-$3 per pound for meat, I’m paying 68 cents. It’s like a getting a 60-70% discount.

Can you imagine our great ancestors running through the drive through to have a bag of processed mystery ingredient nutritionless food handed to them out of a window? Can you imagine them waddling from their cubicle to a Plexiglas box, filling it with quarters to have a paper mache’ sugar treat mechanically dispensed? Me neither. This isn’t some rant against modern technology. It’s meant to be a wake up call, that a lot of what we eat in our modern diet isn’t even real food. It doesn’t have the simple nutrition that a human needs to maintain muscle, hormones, and normal blood sugar. It’s stuff most people wouldn’t even feed their dog if it didn’t have sugar in it. Make yourself a promise today that you’ll start using your conscious mind to decide what you eat, not impulses and poor planning.

]]>http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/01/4-old-world-ways-save-groceries/feed/38 more ways to get some energy savings DIY stylehttp://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/01/8-ways-get-energy-savings-diy-style/
http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/01/8-ways-get-energy-savings-diy-style/#respondSun, 08 Jan 2017 03:25:11 +0000http://live-suburbantoolboxcom.pantheonsite.io/?p=481Um, check this out. You can save even more money just by applying some thought to these 8 items. Added up over a year it’s not inconsequential, so come with me on a journey to financial empowerment by plugging some of the leaks in your financial system!

1) Hustle your city’s time of use plan. Cost: $0.00.

Imaging that your local gas station gave out half price fuel for 4 hours a day. There would be a line around the block to fill up. If you’re electricity company has a time of use program, it’s a lot like getting to fill up your tank for half price. You crank down the AC or heat during the cheap times, storing up the heat or cool air, and then ride that wave for as long as you can before it needs heat or air conditioning to turn on again. A programmable thermostat is your best friend when it comes to this strategy.

2) Upgrade to LED lightbulbs. Cost: $20-ish

depending on how many bulbs you need. Remember when CFL bulbs (The curly ones that look like a pigs tail. Don’t act like you haven’t seen Charlotte’s Webb) first came out? No? Well one of the big selling points was that they use almost half the electricity of an incandescent bulb (The Benjamin Franklin kind). Well times have changed and now there are LED bulbs as well. These marvels of technology only use half the power of a CFL bulb and last almost forever. They don’t even get hot. For every one you change, depending on how much you use that particular light, you save about $18/yr. Ok, I know some of you are thinking ‘Yeah, but the light color always looks weird’. This is usually because of the color rating not the bulb. The spectrum ranges from roughly 1500k (Yellow or orange like a lounge singers house….or..well you get the idea.) to 5600K (White light like daylight). Just check this rating pick according to your personal taste. No offense to lounge singers. I’m sure your house’s are nicely lit. Pick the lights that you use the most first (Porch, dining room, Kitchen, your bedroom, bathroom, closet, etc.) and wait for the savings to roll in? Who couldn’t use a couple hundred dollars in savings every year?

3) Western shade tree. Cost: $45-$75 for a young tree.

This one works best if you already have and existing tree you can capitalize on. Let it grow out in the summer to shade your house and trim it back in the fall to let the light through. Don’t have a tree? Plant a quick growing variety for your region and place it so it will cast an appropriate shade canopy on the west side of your house. While you’re at it, why not make it a fruit tree and get some free super healthy food out of it. Don’t plant it too close though or you’re be nervous about it falling every time there’s a storm.

4) Low flow shower heads: Save $10-$20 a shower head. How many people do you have in your household? I’m assuming all of them use the shower? That’s good. I’ve got some great news for you then. You are going to save a decent chunk of change from this tip. A regular shower heads flows about 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM). If you were to replace your shower head with a 1.5 gpm unit you would save 1 gallon for every minute you’re in the shower. That’s about 30 gallons a day for a family of 3, assuming a 10 min shower each(I know some of you are laughing at that). That’s about 600 gallons per month if you shower 20 times a month. That’s also a decent amount of energy to heat 600 gallons of water. I’ve been using one for years and yes, there’s still enough pressure to get the shampoo out of your hair. While you’re at it, add on even more energy savings by picking a shower head that also……

5) Hot water automatic turn off shower head. Ever notice how the hot water takes a minute or two to get to the shower? I’m guessing you don’t just jump in, tough out the cold water, and wait for it to warm up? Neither do I. Like most people, I turn it on and find something else to do for a minute or 3, sometimes 5 while it warms up. Then I come back at check the temperature to reassure myself that I will not feel anything cold when I enter the shower, but during all that time, water was just running down the drain. If only there was a butler or something that could stand there and wait for the exact moment the water was the right temperature and then turn the water to a trickle. What’s that you say? There actually is such a device? I won’t need to hire a butler? Ok thank goodness. Here’s a link to this piece of water and money saving brilliance.

6) low flush toilets: Cost: free. Just adjust your existing flapper or use this hack instead (link to 2 liter soda bottle in tank). Viola! You just saved 20-50% less water on each flush depending on how far you adjusted it. If you find that it’s not flushing hard enough, just tune it back a little until you find the right balance.

7) Energy star dishwasher/fridge. Cost: Less that $200 on craigslist or you can buy a new one for 1000-2500. Something tells me you’re leaning toward the craigslist list one. If you’ve still got one of those yellowish 80’s or 90’s fridges, it might be time to upgrade to a newish model. The efficiency difference has really come a long way since back in the day. Just find your favorite friend with a truck, and start bribing. Don’t have a friend with a truck? I’ve found that some people are willing to deliver if you offer them an extra $20 or so.

8) End vampire Power Cost: $0.00. Ever notice how your cell phone charger has a tiny green light to let you know it’s on. What about that small area heater? What about your tablet? Coffee Maker? Computer power cable? TV? Basically, anything you see that is not turned on, but still has a light letting you know that it has power to it, is sucking a tiny amount of power. Over the course of a year, this is a less than tiny amount that comes out of your wallet. If you’d prefer to keep that money and, oh I don’t know, invest it, you might find you don’t mind flipping a tiny switch twice a day. Just put items like that on 1 or 2 power strips and viola, with the flip of a switch, no more vampire power drain!

$125 kitchen counter makeover.

In a world of granite, marble, and travertine, sometimes it’s nice to switch gears and remodel your counter tops out of something that doesn’t cost thousands of dollars, is readily available, and can be matched to accommodate a wide variety of tastes.

I’m talking about wood counter tops. They can be made to be finished to appear light, dark, natural, or even butcher block in finish and for about $125 they make far more financial sense than $5000 for granite. After all, kitchen remodels don’t need to drain the kid’s college fund. With a little creativity, some moderate skill, and prior planning, you can dramatically change the look and feel of your kitchen area for pennies on the dollar.

Here’s how I did it and the supplies I used. I chose to go with regular pine 1×12’s in order to keep the cost down. I then used a small strip of oak as the front lip. This harder front edge should give some insurance against bumps, dings, and scratches.

From there, I simply glued and clamped the pieces together and let them dry overnight.

Once the glue was nice and hard, I went back and filled in any splits, or knots in the lumber with regular wood glue. I just use this like a filler paste. If you want a less obvious, more natural look you can mix wood glue with fine saw dust to make a perfectly matched wood filler.

After all of this has had time to dry, I sanded everything smooth, first with an 80 grit sand paper to smooth out any big defects or bumps, and then with 120 grit to give it that smooth finished look.

Next I wiped down all of the surfaces with a clean damp cloth to get rid of the sawdust residue and marked the location for the sink cut out using a pencil and a T-square. Then I went back and triple checked my measurements because I really wanted to make sure I’d have this in the right spot. If I didn’t it could have really made the project look lop-sided.

At this point, my countertop was starting to take form so I moved it into its new space in the kitchen to dry fit it and see if any of my details, measurements, or mental pictures were slightly off. Everything looked good so it was time to apply the finish.

I choose Minwax’s “Honey” color of stain and polyurethane in one. This finish acts more like a paint than a true stain finish. You simply spread it on the surface in as even a manner as possible and it will self-level after sitting for a short period of time.

Here is what it looked like after 1 coat.

I let each coat harden overnight and sanded between coats with a 320 grit sandpaper. This helps take out any minor bumps and imperfections from the finish and prepares the surface to bond to the next layer. I again wiped it down with a damp rag each time to remove any dust.

Here is a picture from after I applied the 2nd coat. Yeah, I let it dry before setting my hat on it.

For the final coat I wanted a glossy smooth finish that would be easy to wipe down and look like a professional bar top type of finish. Minwax also makes straight polyurethane in a gloss finish that I used to also add a bit of hard shell durability to the counter.

Here’s how it looked at this point

Once this dried, I simply removed the kitchen sink, finished cutting out the accompanying hole in the wood, and set everything in place.

When all was said and done, I’d spent about $120 in materials, 6 hours of labor over a few weeks, whenever I had time, and got rid of a major eye sore that was previously my ugly white tile, with dirty grout counter, before. Is it flawless? Nope. Are there better looking finishes and counter styles out there? You bet. Do they cost less than $200? Nope. So if you’re on a budget and still want to move up one level in your countertop game consider looking outside the box, learning a new skill, and having fun in the process.

5 ways getting out of debt really opens up options in life

My view of everything changed after I didn’t have any debts. It changed in ways that took me a while and some reflection to really understand and to be able to write them out on paper, even though I could feel the change pretty quickly. I took several months to really let everything sink in. Here’s what I experienced realizing I had a more complete financial freedom than ever before. I still I wouldn’t have absolute financial freedom until I no longer needed to work for someone, but for now this was a huge life upgrade. Here are 5 definite things that changed for me.

1) I stopped making decisions from a place of fear and necessity.

2) I became less willing to put up with bullshit as I no longer needed to operate from a place of financial dis empowerment. “I don’t want to do that, and since I don’t need the money, I’m not going to do that” Work a holiday. This was actually a problem for me since I still needed a job but felt like I didn’t need to be pushed on at said job.

3) The speed at which I could complete projects was faster than it had ever before (Due to free cash flow).

5) I felt like I was moving forward instead of just maintaining my place in life. Little stuff like auto repairs I had been putting off got fixed, little details around the house got repaired-door trim walls painted, door knobs fixed, etc. I was able to finally buy new t-shirts (At a discount store of course), shoes, and underwear (Yeah, I said underwear. no not used). I bought some new used tools that allowed me to make and repair other items I had been putting off. With each opportunity I seized, more and more became available. Will my new found cash flow, I realized I could start making more money. I’m not trying to sound like a Rockefeller and I’m not trying to brag. I still had a long way to go financially. This was just my experience of how money started to change.

6) Another unexpected revelation was that I wasn’t seeing linear growth in any of the previously mentioned areas. Some areas were growing exponentially, at least initially. All of the major areas seemed to be amplified. I got a new home gym-used of course that allowed me to get “healthier” workouts. I was able to connect with people over some low cost activities. I was able to start investing and finding ways to make more money, send that money back into other projects that had been neglected, and speed thing up even more, like a feedback loop. I was able to give back to the people that had helped me along this journey. I didn’t feel vulnerable anymore financially and this made me feel strong enough to start fixing some of the holes in the lives of people close to me, financially and otherwise. I was able to really launch my healthy, wealthy, and wise philosophy significantly further and at a speed greater than before.

All of this isn’t to brag, quite the opposite. I want to peel back the curtain on the ways your life can be different and reassure you that the journey is worth the pay out, because the road is difficult and longer than I’d like.

]]>http://suburbantoolbox.com/2017/01/5-ways-getting-debt-really-opens-options-life/feed/13 things you can do to avoid car battery problemshttp://suburbantoolbox.com/2016/12/3-things-can-avoid-car-battery-problems/
http://suburbantoolbox.com/2016/12/3-things-can-avoid-car-battery-problems/#respondTue, 27 Dec 2016 14:42:12 +0000http://www.suburbantoolbox.com/?p=148Do you know what ruins automotive parts fast? Extreme heat and cold. Where I live in Phoenix Arizona, the extreme heat is my biggest battery problem, but if you’re in a cold weather state I’m sure it’s the opposite. Either way, it’s not an “if” but more of a “when” my battery is going to die. Calculating when and staying ahead of it, ensures me a pleasant experience of changing the battery on my terms, not at some random point in my summer. Here’s what I’ve been able to do to avoid having a dead battery for about the last 7 years.

1) Figure out how old your battery is already and what model you have. Do you have the top of the line gold battery with a 5 year warranty, or do you have the bottom line model with a 1 year warranty? This will give you an idea of how much more life it potentially has before leaving you stranded somewhere.

2) Many times when your car won’t start, and it sounds like your battery is dead, it’s actually not. Much of the time, the terminals and cables are just so corroded that the electricity can’t flow to start your car. This can be avoided with some simple and very cheap battery terminal maintenance. Just use a battery cleaner and sealer about once every 4-6 months. You can use simple baking soda and water to clean it if you can’t afford an official cleaner. Then seal it to prevent further corrosion. This will keep the corrosion from growing so thick that it chokes out the flow of current. If it’s already too late and your car won’t start, here’s a neat trick I learned. Turn your key to the on position. turn your fan blower motor on so you can hear it if it’s running. Then carefully wiggle the positive and negative cables on the battery terminals. If the fan motor kicks on, it’s likely corrosion and not the fault of the battery that are keeping your car from starting.

3) Only buy the 5 year rated batteries and I only expect them to last 3 years. After that, I just upgrade and replace them to stay ahead of the game. If you can’t quite stomach buying a new one prematurely like that, an alternative is to simply carry around one of the cheap battery jump starters around to avoid being stranded when if does die. Many of these can be bought for around $40 and kept in the trunk as cheap insurance.